Making the Grade? PFF Grades Colts' Free Agency

Pro Football Focus graded every team's free agency moves so far. Do the Indianapolis Colts make the grade?

The Indianapolis Colts got off to a relatively-slow start to free agency last week, but they picked up steam as the week went on. 

The headline moves Indianapolis made in free agency included edge rusher Samson Ebukam from the San Francisco 49ers and and quarterback Gardner Minshew from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded every NFL team and their free agent moves so far. The Colts come in with a lackluster 'C+', which isn't totally surprising.

Ebukam set career highs across the board in 2022, with a 69.1 overall grade, 43 quarterback pressures and 11.8% pressure percentage. The former fourth-rounder profiles as a solid replacement for Yannick Ngakoue in Indianapolis, as the smaller wide alignment edge rusher with Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo the bigger defensive end types. 

Ebukam has produced in various fronts, earning pass-rush grades above 60.0 in five straight seasons. -- PFF

A less-heralded move by the Colts, but one PFF is high on, is the re-signing of special-teams ace and E.J. Speed. 

A big part of the value here is tied to Speed’s special teams contributions — 79.6 special teams grade over the last three seasons. We’ve seen a handful of quality special teams contributors who can be relied upon in a pinch on defense do pretty well in free agency, and Speed is the latest member of that club. -- PFF

The Colts have also parted ways with cornerback Stephon Gilmore via trade and released quarterback Matt Ryan.

Both players were expected to help the Colts push for a run in the playoffs last year rather than a top-five draft pick, and both players became salary-cap casualties last week.

The Colts are seventh in the NFL in available salary cap with just over $21 million according to Spotrac. There's plenty of cap space and and plenty of room for the Colts to make moves in free agency.

Rather than a C+ for the Colts, we might give an 'incomplete'.